ultradian rhythms - how you can get more done when you do less
A book that has been a real eye-opener for me is by Alex Soojung Kim-Pang and it’s called Rest: Why you get more done when you do less, published in 2016. He discusses what people need to be at their best in terms of their creativity and productivity and includes topics such as exercising, sleeping and taking time out to recover. One of the messages that he gives clearly relates to the number of hours humans are able to be productive and that being free of the intensity and focus at periods throughout the day, can support this productivity. This includes exercising, taking naps and moving out of that intense working environment and doing something different for a short time. I looked into this a little further to explore what this is about. The information it seems, is not new and can be linked with the biological rhythms of our body.
Most people are familiar with the circadian rhythm. But less well known are our ultradian rhythms. These have a significant influence on our ability to think and be productive and active. If we tune into these, it seems we can reap the benefits in our terms of our well-being.
What are ultradian rhythms & how do they differ from circadian rhythms?
So let’s clarify what the circadian rhythm is. This is the cycle that tells the body when to sleep and wake—the biological and psychological processes that oscillate in predictable patterns each day, repeating roughly every 24 hours. This internal clock is influenced by external cues, like sunlight and temperature, which help determine whether you feel energised or drowsy at different times of the day.
Ultradian rhythms, which are shorter than a period of 24 hours have been observed in physiological functions, like cellular processes, respiration, circulation, hormonal release and sleep stages. Ultradian rhythms are characterized by diversity not only in period length (from hours to milliseconds) but also in mechanisms and functions. Although they can act independently, according to external stimuli such as light, temperature, social interactions, exercise and eating and drinking patterns, the systems all communicate with each other so the body can synchronize and operate efficiently according to what time of day it is, when you last performed a function and other external stimuli listed.
Sleep stages are ultradium rythms
Sleep stages are an ultradian rhythm that have long been of interest. The cycle is known as the Basic Rest-Activity -Cycle (BRAC). Proposed by physiologist and sleep pioneer Nathaniel Kleitman in 1960, the rhythm plays out in approximately 90-120 minute cycles non-stop, day and night. It is most detectable during sleep when we move from non-REM sleep (approximately 90 minutes of rest – low brain activity) to REM sleep (approximately 20 minutes of activity – high brain activity) and back, repeatedly throughout the night. Kleitman suggested that this cycle is also present during the day, in a more subtle way.
Kleitman’s hypothesis posits that during the day, the cycle flips so that we experience roughly 90 minutes of high brain activity followed by 20 minutes of low brain activity. Again the cycle repeats itself throughout the day.
In the 1980’s Earnest Rossi, therapist, teacher and pioneer in the psychobiology of mind-body healing, wrote at length about how to use these cycles to our advantage to reduce stress, maximise performance and improve health and emotional well-being.
Rossi believed that by tuning into the cycle of high and low brain activity during the day we are able to really optimise our productivity. So, having a sense of when you feel energised and noticing when you become fatigued and less focused will mean that you can respond to this process in your body. Taking the time out (20 minutes if you can) to step away from what you were working on will mean you can return to it with energy and focus again.
Rossi suggested that if you try to power through without respect for this rhythm and the need for breaks, you may become tired, lose focus, make mistakes, become irritable and have accidents. Rossi discussed this in relation to serious accidents linked to human error in pilots, truck drivers and train engineers as well as the US Armed Services. He also suggested that throughout history, taking breaks has improved creativity in artists and inventors and writers, where the break has allowed the inner mind to work out the answer without interference. Alex Soojung Kim-Pang also discusses the the importance of taking breaks to go for a walk, a tea break or a social break for 15 to 20 minutes. Companies like Google and Facebook are both companies with expansive onsite gardened walking paths, encouraging employees to make use of these spaces to re-energise.
To ignore the need for rest, Rossi says, may cause your system to become stressed. If this becomes a habit and you continue to ignore your need for a break, you can become chronically stressed which in the long-term can bring a lot of other health complications, both mental and physical, and in serious cases may lead to burnout. Rossi termed this the Ultradian Stress Response.
The importance of Basic Rest-Activity -Cycle on low and high brain activity throughout the day on productivity/energy levels
Rossi regarded the 20 minute break as a “healing break”, which allows your mind and body to recover, which is essential on many levels, supporting you in optimising your day based on your ultradian rhythms.
It can be said that ultradian rhythms go against 8 hour work days professionals have been expected to follow. Rossi suggests that in an 8 hour work day, people can expect to experience 4 or 5 peak periods when they are at their best. Working smarter, not harder makes more sense, “taking twenty minute breaks to allow the mindbody to catch up with itself and create ideas and energy that is needed to optimise the next work period”.
How can we optimise our days based on ultradian rhythms?
Things to consider:
Firstly, over-riding the need for a break throws your rhythm out e.g. the Ultradian Stress Response when we decide to power through exhaustion. Long-term stress is related to depression, anxiety and poor physical health. Learning to recognise your rhythm on a daily basis and not getting pulled in to over-working is key to preventing not only chronic stress-related illness but just day to day feelings of well-being so that you have the capacity to do other activities in your day other than just work.
It is a good idea to making a conscious effort to tune into your rhythm when working and resting e.g. setting a timer to define working and resting time. Making sure the rest time is a genuine break, so you can “heal” and feel re-energised to return to work.
Over-riding the need for a break throws your rhythm
Other benefits from taking the 20 minute break, Rossi suggests, includes the improvement of relationships and self-esteem. He posits that by giving people the space in their minds and bodies to feel their rhythms in synchronicity with others allows for a greater opportunity to feel connected to each other through more meaningful exchanges. Self-esteem is improved because when you are alert and refreshed you are able to a good job and feel better about yourself.
Improves relationships and self-esteem
A healthier diet is another factor. Tuning into your natural hunger rhythm each day can also optimise your day. Rossi suggests that smaller more frequent meals followed by a 20 minute break can leave you feeling more satisfied, rested and alert than eating fewer heavier meals.
a healthier diet
In addition, some substances and stimuli can imitate the mind and body’s natural hormones and messenger molecules that naturally turn on and off during our ultradian peak performance and rest periods. We might consider the role of alcohol and drugs as well as external stimuli such as blue-lights from screens which we know have an impact on our melatonin levels meaning they remain too high for us to feel sleepy. Managing your use of these is therefore a significant factor in getting the most from tuning into ultradian rhythms, especially where getting a good night’s sleep is concerned.
For me, this resonates, I can only focus intensely for a certain period of time before I start to flag and my legs start to fidget. Stepping away from my laptop and doing something different, like taking my dog for a quick walk around the block, helps me re-energise. I also do this between clients, or I go to my balcony with a cup of tea and breathe gently. If you are in an office, take 15 minutes and find a quiet space in the building to sit in stillness with a cup of tea. I have done that in the past and it worked wonders for helping me feel ready to refocus again. If there are stairs in your office block, go for a walk up a few flights and come back down again, or better still, have a little stroll outside with a colleague for 10 minutes or so.
Avoid certain substances and stimuli
The key is to tune into your rhythm and take these ‘healing breaks’ when your body is telling you that it needs to stop and take some recovery time.
At night, it is crucial you let your body do what it needs to to prepare you for sleep. Your melatonin needs to rise! I have got into a pretty good habit of switching off my screen at least 20 minutes before I head to bed. It really helps.
Try it and see how you get on. I’d love to hear about your experiences so feel free to drop me a quick message by:
Email: lucy@thegardenpractice.com
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